Tally card with shiftable leaf for selective indicia viewing



Dec. 10, 1963 P. E. GUENTHER 3,113,779

TALLY CARD WITH SHIFTABLE LEAF F OR SELECTIVE INDICIA VIEWING FiledMarch 15, 1961 Pl E- L Fl E- E WM; 42

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THREE coup 5 TWO JNVENTOR. Pau/ Guemf/zer ATTORNEY.

United States Patent Ofilice 3,113,779. Patented Dec. 10, 1963 3,113,779TALLY CARD WITH SHIFTABLE LEAF FOR SELECTIVE INDICIA VIEWING Paul E.Guenther, 1336 Monroe Ave., Wyomissing, Pa. Filed Mar. 13, 1961, Ser.No. 95,097 4 Claims. (Cl. 273--148) The present invention relates toimprovements in tally cards employed in the game of bridge. Popularbridge parties are for eight or twelve players, a sufficient number ofrounds being played that each player becomes a partner of each of theothers employing two or three tables as the case may be. Alternatively amixed couple arrangement may be followed wherein for example each of theladies may lay each of the gentlemen. In any event for any of such orother arrangements, hereinafter referred to as play arrangements" a setof bridge tallies are employed with the tally for each player bearinghis number and a column listing the table and partner numbers for theseveral rounds as well as places for noting the players score in eachround, his total score, his name, etc.

Prior to the instant invention when a bridge party was arranged it hasbeen necessary to acquire a set of bridge tallies designed for theparticular play arrangement to be followed. Furthermore as theconventional tallies. are not re-usable a fresh set had to be acquiredin each instance even though the play arrangement was to be the same asat a previous party. The principal object of the instant invention isthe provision of a bridge tally and a set of such tallies designed andconstructed for adjustment to denote the table and partner sequence forany of a plurality of play arrangements. A further object of theinvention is the provision of such tally having a scoring sectionadapted to receive pencil notations and subject to ready erasure thereofwhereby the tally may be reused and the necessity of securing newtallies for each bridge party eliminated.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a tally and a setof such tallies in which the tally is in the form of a sheath enclosing-a slidable insert, the insert carrying on its forward face columns ofindicia listing the table and partner numbers of the different rounds tobe played in each of a plurality of different play arrangements. Thesheath inclu cs 21 front panel having a window therein, the constructionbeing such that the insert may be shifted within the sheath to bring anyof such columns into alignment with said Window. The portion of thefront panel opposite the window includes places for the scoring of theindividual rounds and other suitable indicia as well as a place for thename of the player, etc., such portion, at least, being of a characterto permit pencil notations thereon and the ready erasure thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a tally of thecharacter described above of means to permit the easy manual adjustmentof the insert to bring any of the columns into alignment with thewindow.

My invention will be more fully understood and further objects andadvantages thereof will become apparent when reference is made to themore detailed description of the invention which is to follow and to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan View of a bridge tally incorporating the instantinvention with the cover flap opened;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of the tallyshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 3--3of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating a modification of thestructure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top plan View of an insert employed in the structure of FIG.1; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a set of the tallies of FIG.1.

Referring now to the drawings. and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereis shown a tally 14] comprising a sheath 11 defining a flat tubularpocket in which is received an insert 12 for longitudinal slidingmovement therein. The sheath in its preferred embodiment is made of asingle sheet of material of a character hereafter to be described foldedto define front and rear panels 13 and 14, respectively, joined at aportion of their lower edges by a fold line 15. At their upper edges thefront and rear panels are joined by a flap i6 integral with front panel13 and folded over on a fold line 17 and suitably adhesively secured tothe front of the rear panel. A cover flap 18, though not essential, maybe included, the cover flap being formed as an extension of rear panel14 and adapted to be folded over around the upper edge of the sheath tooverlie the forward face thereof in the closed condition of the cover.

The lower corners of the sheath, including both the front and rearpanels, are cut away as shown at 2-1 and 21 to leave a central sectionincorporating the fold line 15, the central section terminating inshoulders 22 and 23 preferably equidistant from the ends. of the sheathadjacent thereto. Front panel 13 is of a character to conceal insert 12except at window spaces 24 and 25' through which the insert and indiciathereon, hereinafter to be described, is visible. The front panel isdemarked, in a manner to be visible on its forward face, with lines andlegends as illustrated in FIG. 1 at 39, 31, 32, 33 and 34, certain ofsuch designations lying opposite window openings 24 and 25,respectively. In addition each tally carries a tally number as indicatedat 35.

Insert 12 is suitably [formed of relatively stiif paper or cardboard andis of a width or vertical dimension such as to fit snugly within thesheath between the fold lines 15 and 17 whereby it may be longitudinallyshifted to different positions within the sheath but will tend to retainany such position against accidental displacement. The length of insert12 is approximately equal to or not greater than the distance betweenshoulder 22 and the end 26 of the sheath. In the preferred embodimentthe shoulders 22 and 23 are equidistant from their adjacent ends of thesheath and in such case the length of the insert is approximately equalto the distance of either shoulder from the end of the sheath remotetherefrom. The insert carries a number of columns 36, 37 and 38 printedthereon, three of such columns being shown, each column denoting thetable and opponents of the player holding the tally for the particularplay arrangement defined by that column. Each column is headed by adesignation of the particular play arrangement. When the insert iswithin the sheath as illustrated in FIG. 1 the several lines of indiciaof each column are in horizontal alignment with the lines and legends3i) and 33 and the play arrangement designation is in horizontalalignment with legend 31. The correlation between the positions of thecolumns 36 to 38 on insert 12, the location of shoulders 22 and 23 ofthe sheath, and the location of window spaces 24 and 2.5 is such thatwhen the insert is within the sheath the alignment of a lower corner 4!}of the insert with the left hand end 27 of the sheath will bring column38 beneath the window spaces 24 and 25. When the insert is shifted tothe right to have its corner 40 lie approximately equidistant from end27 and shoulder 22 column 37 is beneath the window spaces. When theinsert is shifted to bring the lower corner 46 into alignment with theshoulder 22 column 36 is beneath the window spaces. In the preferredembodiment previously referred to and illustrated in FIG. 1 where theshoulders are equidistant from their adjacent ends of the sheath, andthe insert is of a length equal to the distance be- 3 tween eithershoulder 22 or 23 and the end of the sheath remote therefrom thepositioning of the insert to bring the outer columns 36 and 38 beneaththe window spaces may also be obtained by positioning the right handcorner 41 of the insert'in alignment with the right hand end of thesheath and in alignment with the shoulder 23 respecrtively. In' thisembodiment intermediate column 37 is in alignment with the window spacewhen corners 40 and 41 are equidistant from their adjacent shoulders 22and 23.

Sheath 11 may be constructed of any suitable sheet material relativelyresistant to deterioration in use, and exposed surfaces of which, atleast in that portion defining the area of the front panel to the rightof window spaces 24 and 25, is of a character to readily receive pencilnotations and to permit their erasure. The material preferably employedis a transparent plastic sheeting such as a cellulose acetate film of athickness approximately 0.0075 inch. The exposed surface of the film, oras stated above at least that portion of the front panel which is toreceive pencil inscriptions, is provided with a matt finish obtained byany conventional method, for example by the application of a silicatecoating. Another example of plastic film which may be used ispolychloridevinyl film and in this case the matt finish may be obtainedby employing a polishing plate with a relatively rough surface duringthe polishing of the film surface. Irrespective of the method ofobtaining the finish, which methods as stated above are conventional andform no part of the instant invention, the matt finish enables thesurface of the film to receive legible markings from an ordinarygraphite pencil which markings can be easily erased by the use of anordinary rubber eraser.

Where a transparent film is employed as a sheet material for the sheaththe indicia carried by the face panel may be printed in reverse printingon the rear face of the panel whereby it will be protected againstdeterioration but at the same time will be visible from the front 'of'the'panel. Also where a transparent film is used the concealment of theinsert except at the window spaces, and of course at the exposed lowercorners, is preferably obtained by printing the rear face of the frontpanel with an opaque ink of any suitable type such as is conventionallyemployed in printing on such materials (see FIG. 3), the ink layer 42covering the entire rear face of the front panel except at the windowspaces and overlying printed indicia 30 to 34. The coating 42 issuitably of a color to provide a clear contrast with the printed indiciaand with pencil notations to be made on the tally. Alternatively toemploying a coating 42 a paper or cardboard layer 43 (see FIG. 4) may belaminated to the rear face of the plastic front panel, layer 43 havingcutouts defining window spaces 24 and 25. Where layer 43 is employed itsface adjacent the plastic film may carry the indicia 30 to 34.

In the play arrangement defined by columns 36 to 38 the maximum numberof players is twelve and hence a set of tallies as illustrated in FIG. 6will consist of twelve. Thetallies are numbered consecutively, thepreferred location of the tally number being indicated at 35 in FIG. 1as previously mentioned. It will be understood that the table andpartner sequence in the columns 36 to 38 of each tally are differentfrom those of the other tallies and to insure against mix-ups in theinstallation of the inserts the latter also preferably carry a tallynumber as indicated at 39 in FIG. 5. Suitably each set of tallies isenclosed in a box or container 44 of any suitable type for storage.

As will be understood, when a bridge party is to be held and the playarrangement to be followed has been decided upon the individual talliesof a set, or as many of the set as are necessary, will be adjusted tobring the desired column 36, 37 or 38 beneath the window spaces 24 and25. Each players name will be inscribed on his tally in the placeprovided and the score of the various rounds will be noted, togetherwith the total score at the end of the game, all such notations beingmade by an ordinary pencil. Thereafter, when the tallies have servedtheir purpose, such notations may be readily erased and the talliesthereby readied for re-use for another bridge party of the same ordifferent play arrangements. It will be understood that while threedifferent play arrangements involving a maximum of twelve players havebeen referred to this is for illustration only and that the tallies maybe modified to accommodate play arrangements involving a greater orlesser number of players and different table and partner sequences.

Having thus described my invention in rather com plete detail it will beunderstood that these details need not be strictly adhered to and thatvarious changes and modifications may be made all falling within thescope of the invention as defined by the following claims. a

I claim:

1. A bridge tally comprising a flat tubular sheath in-, I

eluding front and rear panels, an insert enclosed within said sheath andlongitudinally shiftable therein,-'.i s-aid insert being of a lengthless than the length of said sheath and carrying on the forward facethereof a plurality of columns of indicia, including outer columns andan inter mediate column, denoting the table and partner numbers. fordifferent play arrangements, said front panel gener-f ally concealingsaid insert and including a window space" dimensioned to exposetherethrough an indicia column? brought into alignment therewith, thelower corners of said sheath being cut away to expose the lower cornersof said insert whereby said lower corners of said insert many bemanually manipulated to shift said insert longitudinally within saidsheath to bring any of said columns into alignment with said windowspace, the arrangement of said columns and the length of said insertbeing such that except for said corners the insert is wholly confinedWithin the sheath when shifted to position any of said columns beneathsaid window space, and the cut away corners defining shoulderspositioned to have one thereof I,

in alignment with an adjacent end of said insert when an outer indiciacolumn is in alignment with said window space.

2. A bridge tally as defined in claim 1 in which said I intermediatecolumn is in alignment with said Window space when said shoulders areequidistant from the ends of the insert adjacent thereto.

3. A bridge tally as defined in claim 2 in which said front panelincludes relatively permanent indiciavisible from the front thereof, andthe forward face of said front panel has a surface adjacent said windowspace adapted for pencil notation and for ready erasure thereof,saidrelatively permanent indicia including lines on said sur-.

face in approximate alignment with said table and partner indicia ofsaid columns.

4. A set of bridge tallies as defined in claim 3 in which the talliescarry consecutive player numbers and the in"- dicia columns on theinsert of each tally denote the table and partner number for the playerbearing such tally and l are correlated with the table and player numberof the corresponding columns of the remaining tallies of the set. 1

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS606,121 Castner June 21, 1898 1,474,572 Whitstock Nov. 20, 19231,555,190 Currin Sept. 29, 1925 1,558,838 Clark Oct. 27, 1925 2,673,413Weber Mar. 30, 1954 3,013,349 Cooper Dec. 19, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS606,380 Great Britain Aug. 12, 1948

1. A BRIDGE TALLY COMPRISING A FLAT TUBULAR SHEATH INCLUDING FRONT ANDREAR PANELS, AN INSERT ENCLOSED WITHIN SAID SHEATH AND LONGITUDINALLYSHIFTABLE THEREIN, SAID INSERT BEING OF A LENGTH LESS THAN THE LENGTH OFSAID SHEATH AND CARRYING ON THE FORWARD FACE THEREOF A PLURALITY OFCOLUMNS OF INDICIA, INCLUDING OUTER COLUMNS AND AN INTERMEDIATE COLUMNS,DENOTING THE TABLE AND PARTNER NUMBERS FOR DIFFERENT PLAY ARRANGEMENTS,SAID FRONT PANEL GENERALLY CONCEALING SAID INSERT AND INCLUDING A WINDOWSPACE DIMENSIONED TO EXPOSED THERETHROUGH AN INDICIA COLUMN BROUGHT INTOALIGNMENT THEREWITH, THE LOWER CORNERS OF SAID SHEATH BEING CUT AWAY TOEXPOSE THE LOWER CORNERS OF SAID INSERT WHEREBY SAID LOWER CORNERS OFSAID INSERT MANY BE MANUALLY MANIPULATED TO SHIFT SAID INSERTLONGITUDINALLY WITHIN SAID SHEATH TO BRING ANY OF SAID COLUMNS INTOALIGNMENT WITH SAID WINDOW SPACE, THE ARRANGEMENT OF SAID COLUMNS ANDTHE LENGTH OF SAID INSERT BEING SUCH THAT EXCEPT FOR SAID CORNERS THEINSERT IS WHOLLY CONFINED WITHIN THE SHEATH WHEN SHIFTED TO POSITION ANYOF SAID COLUMNS BENEATH SAID WINDOW SPACE, AND THE CUT AWAY CORNERSDEFINING SHOULDERS POSITIONED TO HAVE ONE THEREOF IN ALIGNMENT WITH ANADJACENT END OF SAID INSERT WHEN AN OUTER INDICIA COLUMN IS IN ALIGNMENTWITH SAID WINDOW SPACE.